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11/29/07

My younger brother is not really a drinker, at all. In fact, its pretty rare to see him drink anything outside of orange soda (blech). So you can imagine my family's curiosity and amusement when, on Christmas Eve last year, he ordered a "Zombie" at our local Chinese restaurant. We were even more amused when they brought out the drink: a glass the size of my head filled with bright turquoise liquid, and adorned with a whole fruitbowl full of tropical fruits (and of course, topped with several dainty umbrellas.) This was my brother who can't even finish a Miller Light.

But, he had just broken up with his girlfriend, so he was able to slurp that sucker right down and actually be in a slightly festive mood for the first time all holiday season. (I don't usually advocate drinking your problems away, but it sure worked this time.) I had a taste too, and was put off on the cloyingly-sweet beverage forever. That is, until I read this Ny Times article about a man seeking to resurrect the Zombie and other tiki bar drinks that have been wrecked by clueless bartenders over the years.

“When people think of tropical drinks, they think of the syrupy slush that gets served on a cruise,” Mr. Berry said, his voice rising in pitch. “But when you get a properly structured tropical drink, it’s unbelievable.”

Alright, sold! I am psyched to try out his recipe. I know it doesn't really seem like a holiday drink off the bat, but with the cinnamon, citrus, and rum, it actually seems more suited to this time of year then to the summer. And I'm pretty sure it won't be electric blue...

Shake all ingredients well with ice cubes. Strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with fruit and a mint sprig.Yield: One drink.

And speaking of theme restarants, I had a great dinner at the Argonaut the other night. This bar is one of the many new hipster dives cropping up on H street (like Red and the Black, Rock and Roll Hotel, Palace of Wonders, ect.) and it features a really subtle pirate theme which you have to see to understand. (I mean, how do you make something "pirate themed" without looking like a Disney ride?) Anyways, I was pleasantly surprised to see that they have upped the vegan content on their mostly omni-menu. I got cauliflower-apple soup, black bean, potato and zucchini pancakes, and their excellent sweet potato fries.

And if you're thirsty, the "Dark and Stormy", with ginger beer and house-infused rum, is a force to be reckoned with.

11/26/07

And 8 new (or newish) vegan cookbooks! Coincidence? Or has there just been a Renaissance in the world vegan cooking of late? I think the latter.

You can buy alot of them here or amazon (obvs) and see many of them reviewed here.*Also, that Vegan Lunch Box cookbook is insanely popular and awaiting its second printing. But if you can't wait, amazon still has a few.

One of the top things that I am really pedantic about (aside from, you know, feminism, immigrant rights, veganism, ect) is GARLIC. Whenever anyone around me starts sniffling, you can count on me to be obnoxiously yelling "Go eat some raw GARLIC! Put it on a veggie burger! Sprinkle it on pasta! I swear to G-d, it works!"

And as annoying as it is to yell at sick people all time (my bad) I'm actually right here. The Times Health Blog ("Well") has a quickie today on how scientists have been finding all sorts of health benefits hidden inside the gorgeous little cloves.

In the latest study, performed at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, researchers extracted juice from supermarket garlic and added small amounts to human red blood cells. The cells immediately began emitting hydrogen sulfide, the scientists found. The power to boost hydrogen sulfide production may help explain why a garlic-rich diet appears to protect against various cancers, including breast, prostate and colon cancer, say the study authors. Higher hydrogen sulfide might also protect the heart, according to other experts. Although garlic has not consistently been shown to lower cholesterol levels, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine earlier this year found that injecting hydrogen sulfide into mice almost completely prevented the damage to heart muscle caused by a heart attack.

Ok, so I guess none of that proves that it cures the common cold... but I bet you that if you up your garlic intake you will find that you get sick less often, as a nice side effect to avoiding various cancers. Also, wear a scarf to bed when your throat starts hurting. My roomate swears by it.

11/25/07

I went to this fabulous vegan bakery/ coffee shop this weekend and was thrilled beyond expectations. Here are some of the features:-pink and brown walls-cinnamon buns-cakes and cupcakes (tried the carrot cake and chocolate cupcakes- both were scrumptious and completely kick cakelove's ass)-DIY hot dogs with cheeze and chili!-really cute employees-good coffee and soy creamer sitting out to put in it

I think I will be living there during final exams. Yay for Columbia Heights!

11/23/07

So after much agonizing about what to make for Thanksgiving, everything ended up coming together easily.

I started off with some Spinach Dip to munch on while cooking and to ply the guests with while they waited for the ornery turkey to be done. I just mixed a garden variety onion dip mix with a container of Tofutti sour cream and a package of frozen spinach, thawed and patted dry. It was perfect with whole wheat crackers.

For my main course, I tryed the NY Times recipe for Roasted Squash w/ Sage Cornbread Stuffing and Vegetable Ragout. I used seitan rather than tempeh, because seitan is more turkey-esque to me. The cornbread stuffing, studded with sage and roasted chesnuts, was very sweet and crunchy, while the stew-like ragout on top was filled with savory leeks, parsnips, carrots, seitan and shrooms. Next time I would have added a little soy sauce or tamari to add a bit more salt to the ragout. It was pretty much perfect though, and definitely centerpiece-worthy.

On the side, I had all the delicious dishes that my parents had thoughtfully prepapred with earth balance and soymilk. (After I bugged them about it all day, that is. And swore not to tell my brothers.) We had green bean casserole, Mashed potatoes, and my Aunt Mary's sweet potatoes (recipe here.) In addition, I made the cranberry sauce recipe from Veganomicon which was magic, like everything else in that cookbook. I also made the Mushroom gravy from Dreena Burton's awesome cookbook The Everyday Vegan, which has always come out perfectly the last 20 times I've made it. (Love her, btw.)

All in all, my fabulous meal definitely disproved the notion that vegans have to feel sad and neglected on holidays. And I didn't have anyone trying to ply me with turkey this year, either--- my plate was too full as it was.After dinner, everyone sat around the outdoor firepit my Dad built last year. My little brother passed around his guitar and we all sang Bob Dylan songs and drank bourbon. Considering the hell on wheels most Thanksgivings are, I can't imagine a better dinner or night!

11/21/07

Its not always easy being in an inter-diet partnership. My boyfriend eats almost exclusively meat, and is loathe to try new foods that don't have bacon in them. He's always polite, mind you, but if I offer him, say, an eggplant casserole, he turns white and just says, "oh, no thanks baby, it looks great though." So I usually end up polishing off most of my delicacies myself, or with the help of my veggie garbage disposal roommate. :) But on the rare occasion that I do want to accommodate him, I make sure to make the least scary, most friendly-looking thing I can think of, and then add in a secret ingredient or two.So last night I made him Caesar salad with homemade croutons and from-scratch pizzas with his choice of topping. I topped mine with marinated tempeh while he topped his with pepperoni, but just the fact that he happily gobbled down the Caesar made me happy. (I used the Veganomicon recipe to give it a shot, and I have to say it is the closest I have ever tasted to real, anchovy-based Caesar. Except way, way better, of course.)

You all know how to make home-made croutons, right? They have saved many a salad of mine. Just heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil and throw in some garlic and whatever spices you have handy. (Basil, thyme, oregano, savory, parsley and sage are all good bets.) When the oil is hot and the spices are fragrant, turn off the heat and toss in some cubed, stale bread. (White bread works best, but whatever floats your boat.) Once they have been adequately coated with the oil, spread 'em out on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook to desired crunch on 425 degrees. So easy.

Homemade pizza takes a bit more effort, but its worth it. And working with dough is soothing, anyhow. (For me, anyway.)Here's the Joy of Cooking recipe for the dough, and while thats rising you can work on this easy chunky tomato sauce and marinate some tempeh.

So simple. Just cook the garlic in the oil on medium low heat until its fragrant. Then add in the canned tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients. Raise the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occassionally. Definitely adjust the spices if needed, I am a basil FIEND.

For the Marinated Tempeh, I simply sliced up a plain package of tempeh and tossed it in an air-tight container with some soy sauce, EVOO, fennel seeds, garlic salt, and a few drops of hot sauce and liquid smoke. After a half-hour or so I sauteed the slices until just brown and set them aside to top the pizza with, along with some sliced mushrooms and onions.

The trick with vegan pizza is if the toppings are good enough the cheese is utterly unnecessary. If one were so inclined they could always find some soy cheese, but I don't much care for it on pizza. With a fire-roasted sauce and marinated tempeh, what's the point? My boyfriend even agreed when he had a few bites.

11/20/07

Just wanted to mention that this is the second year in a row that the Hain Celestial Group is on the Human Rights Campaign's list of companies that do NOT support gay rights. In fact, they scored lower than Wal-Mart. (And that's saying something.)

I would almost guarantee that you have something in your cabinet from this company right now. According to their website, they are "a leading natural and organic food and personal care products company in North America and Europe." They make products like Arrowhead Mills (many different flours and gluten-free baking products), Celestial Seasonings (tea) and Soy Dream ice cream. Oh yeah, and tons of different soy and rice milk products.

Its sad since they have so many great cooking basics and frozen veggie entrees, but I will try to avoid their products as long as they stay on this list. How can you bill yourself to vegans and environmentalists and then not support gay rights? How can you care about animals and the planet but not people? I hope they make some major changes this year. Its a shame that I have to miss out on their brownie soy ice cream.

11/18/07

This weekend I had the pleasure of helping my friend Nick prepare a six course meal for 12 people. He's not a chef, but he enjoys cooking so much that he often ends up throwing these big fetes and cooking ridiculously huge pots of jambalaya or beef stew or the like. Such was the case this weekend- he signed himself up to cook a full Thanksgiving dinner for a group of friends. He's insane.Anyways, the meal was by no means vegan, but as usual I like to pick up tricks that can be adapted and just see what he comes up with. I always get some great new ideas. The first course was these little roasted beet napoleans. They were super easy and I can think of a few ways to make them vegan. Essentially, you are just roasting beats for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees, then taking them out, carefully slicing them, and sticking them in a bowl of red wine vinegar. Then you stack them with sliced rounds of goat cheese. The vegan way? Maybe thin slices of tofutti cream cheese that have been mixed with the green onions? I will have to give it a try- look how dear they turned out. (Oh yes, and use a well cookie cutter to get them perfectly rounded like that.)Next up was delicious butternut squash soup, the recipe for which is available in every cookbook on the planet. Then, in place of traditional sweet potatoes, we made sweet potato gnocchi with a sage butter cream sauce. They were so awesome. The recipe was essentially the epicurious one except we didn't use the cheese. The process is simpler then you might think. You are essentially roasting and peeling the sweet potatoes, then mashing them up and using them as a base for dough. So you add in some salt, pepper and egg replacer, along with a bunch of flour, then roll it out thin, cut it up into little squares, then roll them off the bottom of a fork. Lastly, you cook them like pasta with the sauce of your heart's desire. They were fabulous.The rest of the meal was rather meat and dairy filled, but we finished up with these delish pecan shortbread cookies, which are just a hop, a skip, and a tub of earth balance away from being vegan. They were topped with some spiced pumpkin pie filling and a dollop of whip cream- a sort of deconstructed pumpkin pie. I'm telling you, Nick is just full of ideas.

*UPDATE* Urban Vegan has a step-by-step guide to sweet potato gnocchi with a yummy-looking cream sauce. Give it a shot here.

Wow, our culture is so confused about its symbols. Here we have a standard handbag being carried by a stylish young woman on the way out the door. But whats that on her bag? Why.... its a uterus!

Hmmm... thats.... interesting.

And even better: its sewn out of leather! So. This kicky girl is wearing around a bag that features a picture of one of her most embattled internal organs--- stiched out of dead skin from a cow. In other words, an animal had to die so she could make a heavily confused statement whilst toting around her lipstick and wallet. (Is that image supposed to be empowering? Perhaps, educational?)

The whole thing just reeks of dismemberment and absent referents. I mean, we are referring to a woman's insides by way of a cow's insides... and ignoring the living beings behind both.

In case you're itching for one, they're available here. And don't worry, they've also got heart, lungs and kidney. :)

11/12/07

The Internet is abuzz with tips on how to make thanksgiving more veggie-friendly! Who needs all that tryptophan anyways?

Epicurious has a great article on vegetarian mains from cookbook author Crescent Dragonwagon. (Thats her name. I shit you not.) Here's what Ms. Dragonwagon has to say:

"You need something visually big and bold enough to stand alongside—or in place of—the bird," she says. "I like to make a stuffed pumpkin. You can put it on a platter and let it be the visual star. It's as captivating and once-a-year-ish as the turkey." And though this dish might not go pound-for-pound against turkey for heartiness, it does take the place of another Thanksgiving favorite: the stuffing, which is probably soaked with turkey stock and off-limits for vegetarians. Moistened with vegetable stock, the pumpkin's apricot- and prune-accented filling is ready for everyone at the table to enjoy. And the pumpkin flesh itself, rubbed with salt, pepper, and brown sugar, is delicious.

The NY Times has a zillion recipes in their food section, and also quite a few veggie resouces. Here's Denise Landis on veggie thanksgivings:

One view of vegetarian dishes — an outdated one — is that they are too simple, and therefore lack elegance. Chefs like Mr. Tucker disprove this with dishes like the one he created last Thanksgiving: a rich mix of chestnuts, sage and corn bread roasted in squash and mounded with an apple-cider spiced ragout. There were also stuffed baby pumpkins and a roulade of wild mushrooms with seitan (wheat gluten) wrapped in pastry. The pastry was layered with yuba, a tofu product that has a crisp texture when roasted.

And finally, here's an article written for carnivores about how to make Thanksgiving dinner more friendly for their vegetarian guests. I'll admit, its a little dumbed down. ("Start by sorting out what type of vegetarians you will be serving. Many won't eat red meat, poultry or seafood, but will eat eggs, cheese, milk and other dairy products. Vegans exclude all animal products, including honey.") But, it could be an easy thing to email to Mom or Dad in advance to give them some ideas.

Just finished with my first experiment from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, another stellar cookbook from the Post Punk Kitchen ladies Isa and Terry, and OMG they are the most adorable food products I have EVER produced. And my word are they tasty.

These luscious cherry-chocolate cream cupcakes are almost enough to make up for my crappy weekend spent preparing for and competing in a moot court trials competition. And for the fact that I can't help ending all my sentences now with "isn't that so?" Ugh. Law school sucks. Cupcakes are awesome! And did I mention these were super easy?Here's some bonus vegan baking tips from the Post Punk Kitchen website. Wow, I'm really starting to fall in love with those womyn.

11/8/07

This is the meal I would make if I was hosting a table full of refined individuals... say, Jonathan Safran Foer, Dave Eggers, Naomi Klein, and my political science professors from college.. and wanted to impress and entice. This seems like the kind of adult Thanksgiving food that would inspire great conversations, rather than increasing sleepiness.

I know I've been harping on pumpkins a little too much lately, but still- they're so good! And seasonal!

Anyways, the Washington Post has an interesting article about the resurgence of pumpkin in a culinary (rather than decorative) context, along with two yummy looking recipes: one of which is vegan and the other of which is vegan if you sub vegetable broth for chicken broth. Enjoy.

11/6/07

Thanksgiving is a notoriously tough holiday for vegans and vegetarians alike. Family members may be bewildered to learn that you have recently changed your diet. Or, it might be a long-running family joke. Or, like my family, they could be pretty accepting of the vegetarian stuff, but constantly urging you to partake of the dairy filled delights on display. Whether you are avoiding food or relatives, it doesn't make for the most fulfilling holiday.

So why not throw your own? Over the next couple weeks I'll be posting possible menus- perfect for your own feast, or as a chance to pick a few to tote along to the fam's festivities. Trust me, it will be a lot more satisfying than trying to make it on brussel sprouts alone.

Menu #1: Traditional All the Way

This meal (minus the tofurkey, which I ca't justify for just me) is basically what I eat every year. Over the last 5 years, I have slowly (very slowly) convinced my Mom and Aunt to make small substitutions in their age-old recipes that make them more vegan friendly. Amazingly, after trying it once, they have stuck to it! (Mostly because there is literally no difference in taste.) I mean, even when I switched to vegetarian my Mom still used soymilk and earth balance! How awesome is that?

1. Preheat oven to 375. Pour out your sweet potatoes, reserving a few tablespoons of the syrup. Mash them in a medium casserole dish with the syrup, a little soymilk, and a tablespoon of brown sugar. (Whip 'em if you feel like it.) Next, slice your apples into thin, lengthwise slices, and cover the sweet potato mixture. Last, roughly chop the pecans and mix them with a fork with about 2 tablespoons earth balance and 1 1/2 tbs brown sugar. When this mixture is crumbly and the pecans are fairly coated, sprinkle this evenly over top of the apples. Bake until brown and bubbly on top.

This recipe simply could not be easier and uses up the rest of the leftover sweet potato and onion from the smashed bowl below. Delicious and much faster than ordering curry from your local Thai joint. Don't forget to double the portions if you plan on having any leftovers.

1. Toss the veggies in a bowl with some EVOO, salt and pepper. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and stick in the oven at 425.2. Meanwhile, mix together the coconut milk, ginger, curry powder, salt, garam masala, and chile until well blended. Add the diced tomatoes. Give it a taste to make sure the spices are up to snuff.3. When veggies are browned (about 20 minutes, depending on your oven) take them out and mix them in the bowl with the curry sauce.4. Spread them back out on that cookie sheet and cook about 5 more minutes.5. Serve over brown rice.6. Top with cashews and raisins. (optional.)

11/5/07

Now, I realize that most foodies HATE Rachel Ray. Its like, you either read her magazine, watch her show, read her books, and light candles by her altar every night, or you vehemently despise her and hopes she dies by choking on one of her tuna burgers with spicy wasabi mayonaise. I certainly don't love her, but I'll watch her show if its on and get some ideas. For example, I dig how she takes a few ingredients and sets it up so you can make dinner twice- using the leftovers from night 1 to make night 2's dinner. I came up with a set up like this that is awesome and seasonal, so give it a shot! (Also, these are both one or two person meals, so you might want to up the proportions or serve alongside a big salad if you are cooking for more.)

Night 1: Smashed Sweet potatoes with apple corn salsa and balsamic reductionI got the idea for this from a a few different side items at a restaurant I used to work at. Its total heaven in a bowl.

1. Bake 1 and 1/2 of the sweet potatos. Reserve the other half. You all know how to bake a potato, right? Bake at 475 or mike with a damp paper towel for a few minutes, yada yada.

2. While you're waiting for that to be done, put your balsamic in a small saucepan and bring to a low boil (this should easily be accomplished at medium heat.) Quickly reduce heat to low and simmer for while- it should reduce to a thick and syrupy consistency. (But keep an eye on it while its reducing- it burns quick.)

3. Make the apple-corn salsa. Shuck the corn and rinse it off. Then, standing the corn on one side, run the blade of your knife down the sides so that you are skimming all the pieces off. Put these kernels in a lightly oiled skillet while you are chopping the apple and 1/2 of the onion in like-size cubes. When the kernels are lightly browned, add in the apple and onion, season with salt and pepper, and turn off the heat.

4. Mash yr sweet potatoes. Mash in a bowl with a fork, and slowly add in some soy milk, earth balance, and a decent drizzle of maple syrup. You could use a mixer to get a really smooth consistency, or just go to town with a fork.

5. Put it all together. Spoon a bunch of the salsa onto the sweet potatoes and drizzle with balsamic reduction. Yum-O!

Stayed tuned for a dish that uses the leftover onion and sweet potato.

11/1/07

Sometimes the best vegan recipes come from non-vegans. After all, there are plenty of dishes that are just incidentally meat and dairy free that are intended as side dishes. But Rachael from Fresh Approach Cooking has an excellent habit of making vegetables the centerpiece of her creative meals.

(Incidentally, I actually think I would have a huge crush on this woman if I ever met her. She's an awesome cook, blogger, and photographer, and she calls her readers "peaches!" LOVE!)

Anyways, I tried out her "Morrocan Pumpkin Soup" the other day and it was scrumptious. Particularly with a couple pieces of whole wheat toast and a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds. Here's the recipe, and below some links to some of my other favorite recipes by her.--------------------------------------------------Morrocan Pumpkin Soup

I've been drooling over this new master vegan cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero ever since I got it. I haven't cooked anything yet, but that doesn't mean I can't give my first impressions, right? The first thing to note about it is that its HUGE.

Well, relatively huge. Vegan cookbooks tend to be smaller than veggie cookbooks or other kinds. I have no idea why.. maybe they figure they can set you up with some ideas and you can just run with it? (Bananas instead of eggs in baked goods- brilliant!) But that comprehensiveness that I value in tomes like Joy of Cooking and other classics is something that easily applies to vegan cookbooks- sometimes I just can't remember a pancake recipe or need a refresher on salad dressing and don't want to have to make something up.

Anyways, Veganomicon isn't necessarily the Joy of Cooking for vegans (maybe that prize belongs to the Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard classics) but it definitely is packed with a lot more ideas- from grocery shopping to grilling- than most cookbooks. And the recipes really run the gamut. I love the fact that there are recipes that only a real veggie-freak could love ("Braised Seitan with Brussels, Kale, and Sun-dried Tomatoes") and ones that you could easily imagine serving to your grandparents (like their "Penne Vodka" which cleverly subs almond cream for half and half.) Its also extremely ethnically diverse (gotta love Brooklyn) featuring their versions of Jambalaya, Cholent, Mole Sauce, and various risottos. I've also noticed a lot of yummy Jewish recipes that would be perfect for the holidays.

Like I said, the book is big. So go check it out. In the meantime, their website has some sample recipes (like the potato and kale enchiladas pictured here) to tide you over.

Let me back up. I grew up eating whatever my parents put in front of me. Generally, meatloaf, mac & cheese and a full glass of milk. I was so busy running from field hockey to musical rehearsal to student government meetings, I really didn't care what I ate (as long as it included daily chicken nuggets and a sugary dessert!) When I arrived in college, I started to be scared away from the food-court meat offerings, but I found I could get along pretty well on chocolate milk, pizza, french fries, and whatever the restaurant I worked for would provide me with. But as I eased into campus politics, I started to become aware of the issues surrounding the foods I ate. Did the bananas come from farms that employed children? Were the cafeteria workers earning a living wage? Then, came my big moment: like so many young, impressionable girls, I read the Sexual Politics of Meat and concluded that in going vegan, I could help fight the patriarchy. (Doesn't everyone do that in college?) Also, I had a cute vegan boyfriend who introduced me to all the vegetables of the rainbow and showed me that I didn't have to live on pizza during college. Instead I could live on vegan pancakes, huge salads, mock chicken and broccoli, and chocolate soymilk.

But soon, like my relationship, college was over. I got a job at a posh restaurant and on the first day, they asked me to take out my nose ring and grow out my hair. Bummer. I started working doubles 4 days a week and not having the time to cook myself the delicacies I had become accustomed to. In fact, I barely had time to eat at all unless it was something I snatched from the kitchen. And sadly, after about 10 mixed greens salads, hold the cheese, I gave in to the ample temptations of that coy mistress, goat cheese. I was off the wagon.

Speed up to now. My first year of law school was an emotional roller coaster in which Ben & Jerry's and Prosser and Wade were my constant companions. If anything, now was the time to go back to eating healthy and feeling good about my small constribution to the food chain. But it actually took my meat-eating roomate to jar me out of complacency. After getting a dog, she happened upon the book Skinny Bitch, which she thought was about dieting. Funnily enough, the book is sort of a tricky guide to getting women to go vegan (under the guise of being a bitchy dieting guide.) Seeing her get so excited about animal rights and veganism made me remember why I first got into it. And snapped me out of the assumption that growing up meant you had to let go of every radical quirk you cultivated in your youth.

So now, I'm back. In a big way. And thats what this blog is all about.